The 29 Most Spectacular Space Photos
of 2014 (Source: Huffington Post)
The year 2014 was a stellar one for spaceflight, what with ESA's
Rosetta mission putting a robotic lander on a distant comet and NASA
successfully testing its Orion spacecraft. But 2014 was also a great
year for space photography. Join us for a trip through the cosmos--and
be prepared to pick your jaw up off the floor. Click here.
(12/27)

The Year in Space: Politics Could
Steer Space Explorers in 2015 (Source: Al Jazeera)
Human beings and their robots continued to explore space and other
planets in 2014, but they did so as Earth’s politics and economics
began playing an increasing, sometimes negative, role on how they will
reach space in 2015 and after.

The countdown is on to when the U.S. will exhaust its contract — the
end of 2017 — with Russia for seats on its Soyuz shuttle craft on trips
to the International Space Station (ISS), a $100 billion research lab
that flies about 260 miles above Earth. Click here.
(12/25)

Challenges for Orion and SLS
(Source: Space Daily)
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is the audit, evaluation,
and investigative arm of Congress, which exists to support Congress in
meeting its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the
performance and accountability of the federal government. GAO Director
of Acquisition and Sourcing Management Christina Chaplain testified on
the progress of the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion crew vehicle,
which are being developed for deep space human missions that will take
astronauts to the Moon and Mars. Click here.
(12/26)

Why Do Major News Media Exempt NASA
from Critical Investigation? (Source: LinkedIn)
According to many renowned veteran NASA aerospace engineers, the Orion
spacecraft and the rocket which NASA calls the Space Launch System
(SLS) are not the deep space transportation system of tomorrow –
despite the claims of NASA’s massive social media advertising campaign
coinciding with the recent Orion test launch. They warn that if allowed
to continue too long, these two projects will give America’s
international rivals time to erode away the still considerable
technological lead in space technology that the U.S now enjoys.

Why is there not more media attention to this predicament? It is very
puzzling because in all of the decades I have been following the space
agency, I have never seen so many greatly respected NASA insiders as
critical of anything to as high as a degree as I currently see in
regard to space exploration schemes involving SLS and Orion. Click here.
(12/28)

Moon Robots to be Built at Kennedy
Space Center (Source: MyNews 13)
A company that is planning to send robots to the moon is getting to
work here in Central Florida. Moon Express is basing its operations at
Kennedy Space Center to help them develop technologies to send robots
to the moon. This month, the private company began their test of their
first robotic vehicle, called MTV-1X, at KSC's Shuttle Landing
Facility. (12/23)

Space Florida Sets Course on Reviving
Cape Launch Pads (Source: Florida Today)
Space Florida is trying to land a couple of private companies,
including one that could service human flights, by promising to upgrade
two launch pads at Cape Canaveral. Board members of Space Florida, the
state's aerospace arm, have agreed to put up a combined $6.4 million as
part of two matches with the state Department of Transportation for
improvements at Launch Pad 36 and Launch Pad 41.

A third project, which could cost Florida $60 million, is also in the
works and has ties to Space Florida and Enterprise Florida, according
to Space Florida staff. All three projects are cloaked under code
names. The third project, Project Vienna, is an effort to have a major
commercial airline sign a long-term land lease to set up a regional
headquarters, including a maintenance facility, at one of Florida's
major airports, according to Space Florida staff.

As for the launch-pad projects, the more costly of the two, shielded
under the code name Project Mountain, has Space Florida putting up
$6.15 million for improvements to Launch Pad 41, including a new tower
to make the facility capability of servicing human flights. The work at
Launch Pad 36 is for an unnamed company referred to as Project
Pineapple that is anticipated to spend $34 million at the site and
employ 100 people within five years. (12/24)

The estimated cost to complete all six projects is in the billions of
dollars, but none except the Kodiak Launch Complex have advanced beyond
the study stages, and it was not immediately clear what impact the
order will have on the progress of the projects or how much money it
will save. The order came three days after Republican legislative
leaders sent Gov. Walker a letter requesting immediate action to
address the budget issues the state faces.

The state-owned spaceport in Kodiak was damaged by a rocket explosion
in August. Alaska Aerospace, the state-owned corporation that operates
the spaceport, announced earlier this month that it plans to rebuild
its main launch pad to support larger rockets, at a cost of $6 million
to $9 million. (12/28)

Oklahoma Could Learn from N.M.
Spaceport Effort (Source: The Oklahoman)
We recently noted that the crash of a Virgin Galactic rocket ship would
have negative impact on commercial space ventures in the United States,
providing another reason for Oklahoma lawmakers to rethink state
funding of a local “spaceport.” Developments in New Mexico buttress
those arguments. Oklahoma’s efforts at attracting commercial space
operators have been ongoing since the 1999 creation of the Oklahoma
Space Industry Development Authority.

The idea was to turn an abandoned air strip near Burns Flat into a
launch site for private space ventures. Since then, lawmakers have
provided millions in tax credits to one failed company, and have
cumulatively spent millions on the authority. Those efforts have yet to
bear fruit. But things could be worse. Oklahoma’s focus on commercial
space development pales in comparison to New Mexico. Click here.
(12/28)

SpaceX Plans for Lots of Launches,
Then on to Mars (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Once the launchpad for Apollo and space shuttle flights, NASA's
historic Launch Complex 39A is now in the hands of SpaceX and its
enigmatic billionaire leader, Elon Musk. With a 20-year lease, the
privately held company is rebuilding the launch complex to fit its
rockets — the Falcon 9 and the soon-to-debut Falcon Heavy super-rocket
— just as it envisions reshaping the space-launch industry.

During the next several years, SpaceX has contracts for 40 more
rockets, include five for launching the Falcon Heavy. All five of the
big rockets and 23 of the others currently are slated to launch from
Florida. That could change once SpaceX finishes its private launch
complex near Brownsville, said Roger Handberg, who specializes in space
policy at University of Central Florida. In Florida, SpaceX can only
launch on dates approved by the Air Force, but in Texas the company has
freedom to launch on its own schedule. Click here.

Editor's Note:
I believe SpaceX will not have as much schedule freedom as might be
expected at their Texas launch site. Here's
a paper I co-authored on the topic last month. (12/27)

Colorado Dominates Aerospace in 2014
(Source: Denver Post)
This was a huge year for space exploration, and Colorado's collective
aerospace and scientific community was represented in most of the
biggest space-related headlines. The innovative work of Colorado
triumvirate Lockheed Martin Space Systems, United Launch Alliance and
Ball Aerospace & Technologies made NASA's Orion Exploration Flight
Test-1 a rousing success. Click here.
(12/28)

New Mexico Space Grant Consortium Sets
Sights on Growth (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
Education and outreach are key to the future of spaceflight and the
aerospace industry in New Mexico. That was the message developed and
delivered by leaders in the commercial space, research, education and
economic development community at a recent strategic planning meeting
of the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium.

The meeting, which drew 24 participants from across the state, is
required every five years for NMSGC to apply for $1.138 million in
funding from NASA to continue to shepherd the development of aerospace
technology and spaceflight for New Mexico. That funding, which will
allow the consortium to continue operations for the next three years,
must be matched by local sources, which include the International
Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight. (12/23)

After SpaceShipTwo Tragedy, How Will
Virgin Galactic Return to Flight? (Source: Space.com)
Virgin Galactic is working to complete its second SpaceShipTwo vehicle,
even as the NTSB continues its investigation, which is expected to take
about a year. "It doesn't mean the end. It means that you have to pick
yourself up and learn what you need to learn and keep moving," Virgin
Galactic CEO George Whitesides said. "And that's what our team is
doing."

"We are working day and night on that vehicle now. From a structural
perspective, the vehicle is about 90 percent done, including the
installation of landing gear and electrical harnesses," Whitesides
said. "What remains is a number of internal systems. So we still have
several months in front of us for that batch of work." Virgin Galactic
is "pretty close" to getting that second SpaceShipTwo airborne,
Whitesides said, but he's not getting into dates for first flight.
(12/24)

Editorial: Japan's Space Goals
(Source: Japan Times)
While Hayabusa’s achievement has been laudable and Hayabusa2 is an
upgraded and improved version, Japan should not feel complacent. It
must move to the next phase in space exploration, since the nation’s
overall space exploration capabilities thus far leave much to be
desired. Click here.
(12/25)

Former Astronaut Details What's
Required for Crewed Mars Mission (Source: SpaceFlight Insider)
There are few people in the world today who have traveled into the
black of space, fewer still who have commanded missions to orbit. ATK’s
Kent Rominger – is both and he is currently one of the people working
to enable NASA’s crewed deep space exploration objectives. Rominger
talks about how NASA’s Orion spacecraft, powered aloft by the new
heavy-lift Space Launch System or “SLS” booster – is being built to
send crews to Mars. Click here.
(12/23)

Tales from a Martian Rock
(Source: Space Daily)
A new analysis of a Martian rock that meteorite hunters plucked from an
Antarctic ice field 30 years ago this month reveals a record of the
planet's climate billions of years ago, back when water likely washed
across its surface and any life that ever formed there might have
emerged. It is the oldest meteorite we have from Mars, a chunk of
solidified magma from a volcano that erupted four billion years ago.
Since then something liquid, probably water, seeped through pores in
the rock and deposited globules of carbonates and other minerals.
(12/26)

Opportunity Nears Highest Ever
Mountain Peak of Astounding 11-Year Martian Trek (Source:
America Space)
The longest living Red Planet rover ever crafted in human history is
about to accomplish another astounding feat along her astonishing
11-year trek across the most Earth-like planet in our Solar System.
NASA’s Opportunity rover is within reach of the summit of Cape
Tribulation, heading southwards along gigantic Endeavour crater—and it
counts as the highest Martian mountain she will ever scale in her
unbelievably incredible and momentous life of exploration and
discovery. Opportunity is now at an elevation of some 1,380 meters!
(12/27)

Europa's Atmosphere Thinner Than
Previously Thought (Source: SEN)
Data collected by NASA's Cassini spacecraft during its 2001 flyby of
Jupiter shows that Europa's tenuous atmosphere is thinner than had been
thought. Europa is considered one of the most exciting destinations in
the Solar System for future exploration because it shows strong
indications of having an ocean beneath its icy crust. Click here.
(12/22)

Europa Is Far Less Geophysically
Active Than Previously Thought (Source: America Space)
New estimates on the density of Europa’s atmosphere, also call the
hypothesis of the moon’s active water plumes into question. For
instance, if the latter had been actively venting water ice into space
during the spacecraft’s flyby of the Jupiter system, then the plasma
torus around Europa should have been dominated by oxygen ions instead.
Since that wasn’t the case, this indicates that Europa might exhibit
far less geophysical activity than previously thought. (12/24)

Venus Gets Weirder: CO2 Oceans May
Have Covered Surface (Source: Space.com)
Venus may have once possessed strange oceans of carbon dioxide fluid
that helped shape the planet's surface, researchers say. Venus is often
described as Earth's twin planet because it is the world closest to
Earth in size, mass, distance and chemical makeup. However, whereas
Earth is a haven for life, Venus is typically described as hellish,
with a crushing atmosphere and clouds of corrosive sulfuric acid
floating over a rocky desert surface hot enough to melt lead. (12/28)

Tilted Aquaplanets Might Still be
Habitable (Source: America Space)
With so many exoplanets now being discovered on a regular basis by
astronomers, the focus has turned to what number of them might be
habitable for some kind of life. For life as we know it at least, that
depends on a number of factors, including being in the “habitable zone”
of stars, where liquid water could exist on the surfaces of smaller,
rocky planets like Earth.

It has been thought that planets with extreme axial tilts, even
horizontal to the plane of their orbits, would be less likely to host
life. But now a new study suggests that they could still be quite
habitable, if they are covered by oceans. Click here. (12/24)

Rosetta Captures Kilometer Cliffs and
Boulder-Strewn Terrains on Comet (Source: Independent)
The steep, ragged cliffs and boulder-strewn terrains on the surface of
Comet Churyumov–Gerasimenko (Comet 67P) have been captured in images
taken by the Rosetta spacecraft. The rugged cliffs and patches of
smooth terrain were then identified by Stuart Atkinson, a British
amateur astronomer, who zoomed in on views published by the ESA. Mr
Atkinson's picture was chosen as NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day.

The stunning shot of ragged cliffs featured in the image were taken
about two weeks ago. Despite being so high, the low surface gravity of
Comet 67P means a jump from the cliff by a human would probably be
survivable. At the foot of the cliffs is relatively smooth terrain
scattered with boulders measuring up to 20 meters across. Click here.
(12/24)

Russia Declassifies Satellite
Earth-Sensing Data (Source: Space.com)
The Russian government said Friday it will provide public access to
previously classified Earth-sensing data received from domestic and
foreign satellites. "The Earth-sensing data received from civilian
domestic and foreign satellites are no longer considered state secrets
and it will be open to public access in line with the Russian
legislation," the government said in a statement posted on its legal
database portal. (12/26)

Russia's Glonass to Provide Brazil
With Alternative to GPS (Source: Space Daily)
The Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (Glonass) will provide
Brazilians with an alternative to the American Global Positioning
System (GPS), giving them more localized data and stability, the
Glonass project coordinator in Brazil said.

"For us, Brazilians, it will be an alternative system in case the North
American system experiences some problems or a decrease in the number
of satellites - [as the GPS] also has some room for improvement - so
Glonass will be able to cover this break in the US system," he said.
(12/26)

Russia Launches Lotos-S Spy Satellite
(Source: SpaceFlight Insider)
Early on Christmas morning in Russia, a Lotos-S Kosmos-series satellite
launched aboard a Soyuz-2-1b rocket from the Plesetsk cosmodrome. The
Lotos-S satellite payload is an electronic intelligence (ELINT)
satellite; specifically, the prototype version of the Lotos component
of the Liana system, a two-part satellite system that was devised in
the 1990s and has been in slow development ever since. (12/26)

Angara-A5 Rocket to Enhance Defense
Capability of Russia (Source: Space Daily)
Russia's new Angara-class rockets will be used to enhance defense
capability of Russia and its security partners by putting military and
dual-purpose satellites into orbit, the Russian president said. "This
rocket is intended to put payloads measuring up to 24.5 metric tons to
low-earth circular orbits," Vladimir Putin said during an extended
meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). (12/24)

Proton Launch Puts Astra 2G Broadcast
Satellite in Orbit (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
A Russian Proton rocket fired six main engines and soared into space
from Kazakhstan on Saturday, deploying a commercial communications
satellite owned by SES for a 15-year mission linking Europe, Africa and
the Middle East. The powerful launcher blasted off from the Baikonur
Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and climbed into mostly clear skies over the
barren plains of Central Asia. (12/28)

Sanctions Have No Impact on ILS Proton
Business (Source: Itar-Tass)
The West’s sanctions against Russia have not hampered the operations of
the International Launch Services (ILS), which performs commercial
launches of Proton rockets from the Baikonur space center. The
sanctions introduced against Russia amid the Ukrainian crisis “have not
had a direct impact on our business, some customers have concerns over
the situation and have been temporarily cautious about placing new
business,” Karen Rose Monaghan said. (12/26)

China's FY-2C Satellite Successfully
Deorbited (Source: Xinhua)
It is reported that from December 10 to 13, FY-2C satellite has been
successfully deorbited. FY-2C was the first operation application
satellite of FY-2 satellites and the first geostationary meteorological
satellite achieved continuous and stable operation in-orbit. It was
launched in October 19, 2004 and stopped operation in November 25,
2009. After that, the satellite had been in backup status. (12/26)

No Way to Live Outside Earth: Space
Colonization a Myth - ESA Director (Source: Russia Today)
For decades in history space was the giant playground - but only for
NASA and the USSR. Now, many nations strive to reach and explore the
last frontier. With the enormous costs for the venture, will
cooperation prevail over national interests? Are there benefits in the
near future - for all of us - in spending so much to get to the orbit?
We touch upon all these questions with Director-General of the European
Space Agency, Jean Jacques Dordain. Click here.
(12/26)

KSC Lights Up the Holidays
(Source: CFL News 13)
As the sun sets over Brevard County just after Christmas, the moon
emerges, while the warm glow in the sky brings the promise of something
bright from the past. A new, limited-time holiday program is loading at
the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. "The Saturn 1B rocket in the
Rocket Garden becomes one of the world's longest projection screens for
this 3-D mapping presentation that is simply out of this world," said
KSC's Andrea Farmer. (12/25)

NASA Selects ULA for Commercial Space
Partnership (Source: Denver Business Journal)
Centennial-based United Launch Alliance, the nation's largest rocket
company, is one of four companies NASA selected as partners for
developing technologies for commercial space exploration in the next
five years. NASA's unfunded Collaborations for Commercial Space
Capabilities initiative aims to help private-sector space companies
make new capabilities available to the space agency and commercial
customers alike. NASA will offer technical expertise, data and
assessments, the agency said. (12/24)

NASA Partners with Four Companies for
Commercial Space (Source: Satellite Today)
NASA has announced collaborative partnerships with four U.S. companies
developing new space capabilities for government and commercial
customers. The un-funded partnerships with SpaceX, United Launch
Alliance (ULA), ATK Space Systems and Final Frontier Design are part of
the Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities (CCSC) initiative
to bring new space technologies to market in five years time. Click here.
(12/24)

NASA JPL Gecko-Inspired Gripping
Technology Performs Tests in Microgravity (Source: America Space)
Scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory are developing a
gripping system that could grip objects like orbital debris or old
satellites that are difficult to handle. What is the inspiration behind
this specific grappling system? Gecko feet. This new system of adhesive
gripping tools, or gecko gripper project, could potentially make it
easier to capture dangerous space debris.

The systems of tiny hairs on geckos’ feet help it cling to walls and
rough surfaces with ease. According to NASA, “geckos’ feet have
branching arrays of tiny hairs, the smallest of which are hundreds of
times thinner than a human hair. This system of hairs can conform to a
rough surface without a lot of force. Although researcher cannot make a
perfect replica of the gecko foot, they have put ‘hair’ structures on
the adhesive pads of the grippers.” (12/27)

Israel-From-Space Pics Take Off Online
(Source: Times of Israel)
Photos of Israel as seen from the International Space Station on
Christmas Day are attracting immense interest online, with tens of
thousands of likes on NASA’s Facebook page. The photos were posted by
US astronaut Barry Eugene “Butch” Wilmore, who is currently on his
second space mission as part of Expedition 41 to the International
Space Station.

The pictures were posted by NASA with the message: “Israel – completely
clear – on Christmas morning from the International Space Station.
Astronaut Barry Wilmore woke up early on Christmas to reflect upon the
beauty of the Earth and snap some images to share with the world.”
Facebook discussion of the pictures has included exchanges about the
area’s geology and falling water resources, and also much bitter
political argument about whose land it is anyway. (12/28)

Wanted: Poster Design for Top Space
Program in Israel (Source: Times of Israel)
To celebrate the arrival of the International Space University (ISU) in
Israel in 2016, the ISA and the Technion — which will provide
facilities for the program — are looking for a great poster design that
will represent Israel’s hosting of the group. Winners get a Wacom
Intuos Pro Medium digitizing tablet (perfect for budding digital
artists), as well as the fame that comes with having their poster
produced and printed as the official poster for the ISU’s stay in
Israel. (12/26)

$20 Million Gift Pushes UA Closer to
the Stars (Source: UA News)
On Oct. 19, 1916, all classes were canceled at the University of
Arizona and a huge bonfire was staged to celebrate the two largest
donations in the University's history at the time: $75,000 for a new
mining building and $60,000 to build an observatory. Now, almost a
century later, UA astronomers have a reason to celebrate an equally
impactful gift supporting the UA's partnership in the construction of
the Giant Magellan Telescope, a telescope with an effective mirror
diameter of 80 feet (25 meters).

Thanks to a donation of $20 million from Richard F. Caris, the
University is poised to take its next giant leap into the future of
space science. The UA is one of 11 institutions that have joined forces
to build the GMT. Located in Chile's Atacama Desert, the GMT will have
more than six times the light-gathering area of the largest telescopes
in existence today, and 10 times the resolution of NASA's Hubble Space
Telescope. (12/17)